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Uber has a secret 800 number for emergencies

Uber has an emergency phone number for passengers and drivers to get in touch with a human employee at the ride-hail company, according to a report in Inc. Thursday. The number, which has been operational since October, is only available in 22 cities and is only intended for non-911 related emergencies. The revelation comes after Uber faced questions about a "panic button" in the wake of a deadly shooting in Kalamazoo, Michigan by an Uber driver last month.

Uber has panic buttons in some countries, like India, but insists that 911 should remain the preeminent emergency contact in the US. After Kalamazoo, the company took the unusual step of holding a conference call with reporters to explain this decision. "In the United States, 911 is...